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[All pictures of garden wildlife on this page are thumbnails. Click on any thumbnail for a large format to be displayed.]

Plant Bugs (Miridae)

This a big family of small bugs, varying in length from 3 to 8 mm. They do look a lot like the Seed Bugs, but a lot of species are more colourful. Plant Bugs usually have quite long antennae and they lack the ocelli found in Seed Bugs. That is why they are called Blind Bugs in many languages. In Central Europe we find some 300 species, some of which are very hard to identify. It may help if you know the plant species being sucked by the bug, for many similar bugs specialize on one kind of host plant only, allowing you to name the species in spite of the similarity with other species. Almost all Plant Bugs are adult in summer and autumn and the eggs overwinter. Even though a few species do hunt for other small insects, most feed on plants all their life. The adults are found in flowers regularly. A few Plant Bugs are harmful in agriculture, such as the Potato Bug and the Common Green Capsid.


Harpocera thoracica, male

The male of Harpocera thoracica lives for one or two weeks only. more...

Harpocera thoracica, female

The female of Harpocera thoracica is only seen in May. more...


Liocoris tripustulatus

Liocoris tripustulatus is a good example of a beautiful Plant Bug. More...


Red Bug Deraeocoris ruber

The Red Bug comes in two varieties. This is the colourful one. More...


Red Bug Deraeocoris ruber

This is the less colourful variety of the Red Bug in which the animals are blackish mainly. More...



Lucerne Bug (Adelphocoris lineolatus)

Reaching 8 to 10 mm in length this plant bug is relatively large. There are other similar pale greenish bugs but most of them are smaller. More...


Common Green Capsid Lygocoris pabulinus

The Common Green Capsid is much feared in the cultivation of apples and pears. more...


Orthotylus virescens

Orthotylus virescens can by identified by its short nose and its foodplant: Broom. More about this species soon.


Heterocordylus genistae

Heterocordylus genistae is a hairy bug! more...


Grass Bug Stenodema laevigatum

The peculiar shape of the Grass Bug makes it stand out among the Plant Bugs. More....


Pantilius tunicatus

During its life span Pantilius tunicatus changes its colour from green to almost entirely red. More....


Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus

Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus belongs to a large group of similar yellow and black Plant Bugs. more...


Heterotoma planicornis

Quite common in gardens in Western and Central Europe: Heterotoma planicornis. The antennae are quite weird. more...


Campyloneura virgula

Photographing Campyloneura virgula is very difficult, for it tends to run a lot and extremely fast. more...


Plagiognathus arbustorum

Plagiognathus arbustorum is very variable. Some animals are almost white. more...


Dichrooscytus rufipennis

Some bugs are best identified by looking at their host plant. Dichrooscytus rufipennis for instance lives on Scots Pine only. more...

Rhabdomiris striatellus

Rhabdomiris striatellus is common all over Britain, used to be called Calocoris striatellus scientifically, but has no common English name. more...

Macrolophus pygmaeus

Very similar to Macrolophus rubi but differs in that the 3rd antennal segment is only around 1.75 times as long as the 4th, rather than twice as long. Adults reach 3-4mm and can be found from May to July. Since a few years tomato and eggplant growers get support from this predatory bug to control whiteflies. It is also known to eat spider mite, moth eggs and aphids.


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